Heaven Sent Sentiments

Hello! What a week it has been, so busy! It is already the middle of September, can you believe it? Although, with the explosion of pumpkin-spice items everywhere, you would think it was the middle of October, am I right?! 🙂

Well, my writing took a different turn this week. Thank you, Jesus! I was about halfway done with this week’s blog and guess what? God led me on a different path. Prayer. I am really not surprised though, God began stirring my heart on the subject of prayer last week during church.

Sumner Family Church, where I attend, has a heart and a focus on community and what leads to community? Relationships, and what develops relationships? Conversations!! I know that was a lot of questions and answers, but stick with me, we get to the heart of it in a minute. What is the fundamental part of conversations?

Spending time together, getting to know one another, and talking.

Conversations are the essential building blocks for all relationships. This includes friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, and God. Yes, God. We talk to God through prayer.

“Prayer is keeping company with God.” Clement of Alexandria

Last Sunday, my church began, “Prayer Journey” which is “designed to establish a thriving prayer life in the families of SFC.” I love this! Through the next six weeks, we will have a weekly prayer focus, bi-weekly blogs, text/e-mail reminders, and Friday night community groups in which we are coming together as a church to pray! Amen!

     In its simplicity, and what I tell my kids, is that praying is talking to God. I remember when I was quite young, I wasn’t sure what to say to God, so I remember my prayers had more of a King James slant with many thou’s and thy’s. There is nothing wrong with praying that way, it just wasn’t natural to me. I discovered the best way for me to pray and converse with God is to be me.

I pray privately in my prayer closet while driving in my car, on the phone when I need to, and anytime the Holy Spirit moves me to. I pray through words, silent reverence, song, and my prayer language. I pray daily to make conversing with God a routine. “You will never be able to pray everywhere, all the time, until you have learned to pray somewhere, some of the time” (Water, Mark).

I was encouraged further this week by the first e-mail I received in regard to the Prayer Journal. It reminded me that each one of us is going through different seasons of our life and, because of that, my prayer life will not look like yours! Whew! Here is an excerpt from the e-mail:

“Pastor Mike talked about embracing differences on Sunday. This got me thinking about all of us embracing our own differences. In a world of comparison, how have our differences affected my view of my family and myself? Prayer in my life and in my family’s is going to look different from my neighbors. Mealtime can be too chaotic, so we pray at bedtime with the kids. Praying together as a couple everyday becomes a “checklist” item, so instead we set aside one night a week to pray and dig in deeper together with God. Have I embraced that, or have I created some ideal situation in my head that must be met in order for prayer time to be “successful”? My 19-month-old has no concept of not screaming his head off during prayer time some nights

The differences of what prayer looks like in your family, or for you personally, make it no less valuable for you than to anyone else. The point is you’re choosing God. You’re choosing to spend time with Him. That should be the focus. If you’ve never had a “big” prayer life, maybe baby steps are needed. Perhaps you’ve had a wonderful prayer life and want to spend this season digging in deeper with God. Everyone’s prayer life is going to look a little different – and that’s okay. Give yourself permission to look different. We’re all growing in this together! (Sumner Family Church, emphasis mine).

Isn’t that Beautiful? I love the way that was put together and I had to share it with my fellow believers and friends.

There should be no “prayer comparison” between the Jones’, the Crenshaw’s, and the Cagle’s. Praise God! But, there should be an active conversation between you and God. Every day.

What/where is your favorite way to speak to God? While out on a walk admiring the beauty of His creation? Singing songs in the pews of church on a Glorious Sunday morning? While driving on your way to work? If you would like to share, please do. 🙂

ALL the glory to God,

Shanon

Image of “Conversations with God” by darussalambblog.com

Image of  “Pray.Faith.God by tobendlight.com

Sumner Family Church. Prayer Journey e-mail.http://sumnerfamilychurch.com/

Water, Mark. “Prayer made easy.” Hendrickson Publishers. Print. 1999.